Whether cooked on a grill or over a campfire, food cooked outdoors just always seems to taste better than food cooked indoors. It could be the outdoor air, cooking procedures or a hundred other items, but one's taste buds just seem to explode. Many people who cook outdoors as part of a camping trip use a grill, which must be brought along for the trip, including fuel, legs, cooking surfaces and the like. Even those who cook on a campfire must bring a complicated stand with multiple legs that seem to collapse, and are never long enough to place food high above a fire. Another option is a complicated tripod arrangement which is difficult to set up and then can only be used with a kettle. All of these solutions are either complicated, difficult to store, hard to transport, and/or require many solutions depending on the type of food being cooked. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which virtually any type of food can be cooked over a campfire without the disadvantages as described above. The development of the invention herein fulfills this need.
The present invention is an apparatus to assist in cooking over a campfire. The apparatus comprises a generally “Y”-shaped fitting supported over an open fire by use of three (3) leg assemblies. Each leg assembly is approximately four (4) feet tall. An adjustable steel cable, controlled by a mechanically operated winch, is provided at the center of the “Y”-shaped support. This steel cable then hangs down and connects centrally to four (4) connection chains, each of which connects to the corner of a rectangular shaped grilling surface. As such, the height of the grilling surface can easily be adjusted up and down over the open flame as cooking needs or fire output permits. The grilling surface is made of a heat resistant material and is approximately twenty-four (24) by thirty-four (34) inches, although other sizes are envisioned as well. When finished, the apparatus is allowed to cool and then is easily disassembled and transported in a supplied travel bag, thereby providing a means to cook almost any type of food over an open campfire in a manner which is quick, easy and effective.
Several attempts have been made in the past to provide portable grill assemblies. U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,138, issued in the name of Vos, describes a campfire cooker assembly including a tripod and grill structure, a fire bowl, and a smoker. However, unlike the present invention, the Vos cooker is not collapsible.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,534, issued in the name of Louden, discloses a barbecue grill apparatus arranged for selective rotation and positioning over an associated barbecue grill pit structure. However, unlike the present invention, the Louden grill only has one (1) leg secured to the ground and swings on a pivot. Furthermore, the Louden grill does not have an adjustable cable controlled by a mechanically-operated winch.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,026, issued in the name of Forst, discloses a portable vertical rotary grill that includes a support structure, a power source, a motor, and a grill. However, unlike the present invention, the Forst grill has a power source and a motor. Furthermore, the Forst grill is not collapsible, and it does not have an adjustable cable controlled by a mechanically-operated winch.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,085, issued in the name of Benzschawel, discloses a portable adjustable grill apparatus for cooking over a source of heat that includes at least three (3) grill legs. However, unlike the present invention, the Benzschawel grill is adjustable by a cable with a slide lock on a leg. Furthermore, the Benzschawel grill does not have an adjustable cable controlled by a mechanically-operated winch.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,009, issued in the name of Scheller, discloses a portable outdoor grill which permits adjustment of a food support platform in three (3) dimensions. However, unlike the present invention, the Scheller grill only has one (1) leg staked to a ground and it uses a chain lock to raise and lower the cooking platform. Furthermore, the Scheller grill does not have an adjustable cable controlled by a mechanically-operated winch.
Additionally, various ornamental designs for portable grill assemblies have been provided, particularly, U.S. Pat. Nos. D 271,740, D 315,846, D 337,933. However, none of these designs are similar to the present invention.
The prior art appears to disclose various portable grill assemblies. However, none of the prior art particularly describes an apparatus to assist in cooking over a campfire comprising a generally “Y”-shaped support that rests over an open fire by means of three (3) legs, an adjustable steel cable controlled by a mechanically-operated winch provided at the center of the “Y”-shaped support which depends downward and connects centrally to four (4) chains, each of which connects to a corner of a rectangular grilling surface that the instant invention possesses. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which virtually any type of food can be cooked over a campfire without the disadvantages as described above.